Filipina tennis phenom and Globe ambassador Alex Eala has been given the rare chance to compete in one of tennis’ biggest stages after she received a wild card to the 2021 Miami Open qualifiers set on March 22 to April 4 at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.

The unique development was announced on Tuesday by the Rafael Nadal Academy where the 15-year old is a scholar.

The Miami Open has already drawn some of the most prominent names in women’s tennis. This includes the world’s top-ranked player Ashleigh Barty and the world no. 2 and recent Australian Open champion Naomi Osaka. Also slated to compete is the world no. 3 Simona Halep.

Eala, who recently rose to no. 736 in the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) singles rankings, is excited to strut her skills in this high-level competition.

“Looking forward to an awesome experience!” Eala said on her Facebook page.

This development is the latest feather in the youngster’s cap. She opened 2021 by winning her very first professional championship in the W15 Manacor back in January. She then followed that up with three straight quarterfinal finishes. However, she is looking to bounce back after suffering a first-round exit at the hands of Swiss netter Simona Waltert in the W15 Manacor in Mallorca, Spain last week. PR